#STRask

Isn’t It Better to Do Good for Goodness’ Sake?

Questions about it being better to do good for goodness’ sake rather than to earn approval and avoid punishment and a good initial approach to take with someone who rejects God based on his “violent” and “oppressive” character in the Old Testament.

 

• I want my children to do good for goodness’ sake. Doing it to earn my approval and avoid my punishment is the absolute worst outcome I can imagine, as is requiring them to relentlessly thank me for helping them find it—and I’m just a human!
• What's a good initial approach to take with someone who rejects God based on his “violent” and “oppressive” character in the Old Testament, regardless of good arguments about his being objectively moral?

How Is Access to God in the New Covenant Different from the Old Covenant?

Questions about how access to God through Jesus in the New Covenant differs from access in the Old Covenant, whether the salvation of Gentiles is just a means to the end of making Israel jealous, and the idea that theology is only personal and contextual, not objective.

• How is access to God through Jesus in the New Covenant different from the access Jews had to God in the Old Covenant?
• Is the salvation of Gentiles just a means to the end of making Israel jealous (see Romans 11:11–16)? How is this supposed to make us Gentiles feel?
• How would you respond to someone who said, “Theology is personal and interpersonal work, so don’t believe claims that any theology is objective; it’s all personal and interpersonal and contextual”?

Your Religion Prohibits You, Not Me

Question about how to respond to a meme that says, “Your religion does not prohibit me from anything. It prohibits you. Learn the difference.”

• How should I respond to a meme that says, “Your religion does not prohibit me from anything. It prohibits you. Learn the difference”?

Why Emphasize Evangelism When the Bible Only Mentions the Great Commission Four Times?

Questions about why evangelism is emphasized above other commands in the Bible, what to do when speaking the truth in love hurts someone’s feelings, and how to best love and share the gospel with a friend who rejects it because of bad experiences with Christians.

• Why is it hammered into us that Christians need to go out and evangelize when the Great Commission is mentioned only four times in the Bible and other commands spoken of throughout the Bible (love, servitude, humility, etc.) seem to get less exhortation?
• How should I deal with someone saying, “You hurt my feelings,” when I’m speaking the truth in love? What do I do when preaching the gospel hurts someone’s feelings because it exposes their sin, and how can I debunk the current worship of feelings?
• How can I best love a friend who has repeatedly rejected the gospel because of negative experiences she’s had in hostile Christian circles?

Is It Circular Reasoning to Say the Bible Is True Because God Says It’s True?

Questions about whether it’s circular reasoning to say the Bible is true because God says it’s true, how we can know when sarcasm or some other relevant tone is being used in the Bible, and whether tithing results in God’s faithful provision and financial blessings.

• Is it circular reasoning to say the Bible is true because God says it’s true (in the Bible)?
• How can we accurately read stories like 2 Chronicles 18:12–16, where it seems as if Micaiah was using sarcasm? How do we know when there is an important tone in play?
• Is it biblical for someone to say, “I’m so thankful for tithing and knowing God faithfully meets our needs because of our faithfulness”?
• Does the pouring out of blessings from Heaven when we test God with the tithe, spoken of in Malachi 3:10, refer to financial blessings?

God Didn’t Save Me from My Childhood Trauma

Questions about how to respond to someone who rejects God because he didn’t save her from her childhood trauma when she prayed for help and whether it’s wrong to respond to the psalm that says, “What can man do to me,” by thinking, “They can do a lot!”

• Can you help me respond to someone who rejects God because he didn’t save her from her childhood trauma when she prayed for help?
• Is it a sin that when I read the psalm that says, “What can man do to me,” my response is to think, “They can do a lot—rape, torture, kill, abuse, manipulate, and intimidate.”

If God Commanded You to Kill a Baby, Would You Do It—Yes or No?

Question about whether or not we would kill a baby if God commanded us to do it.

• If God commanded you to kill a baby, would you do it—yes or no?

Should Christians Make Use of the Concept of Meditation?

Questions about Christians making use of the concept of meditation, advice for discussions with panentheists, and how to not be discouraged when pastors don’t use apologetics when it would be the perfect time to do so.

• How might Christians appropriately make use of the concept of meditation, or should this sort of thing be avoided?
• Do you have any tips or questions for discussions with New Age spiritualists—in particular, panentheists?
• How can we not become discouraged when pastors or teachers do not use apologetics when it would be the perfect time to do so?

Is It Okay to Pray for the Destruction and Downfall of Our Enemies?

Questions about whether it’s okay to pray for the destruction and downfall of our enemies, how to reconcile the idea that God doesn’t tempt people with the fact that he led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted, and why believers need to ask forgiveness for their sins.

• We use psalms in worship and model our prayers after them, but is it okay to pray for the destruction and downfall of our enemies like we see in the imprecatory psalms?
• How do we reconcile the idea that God doesn’t tempt people and isn’t the “author of evil“ with the fact that he led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted in Luke 4?
• If God sees believers as blameless, why do we need to ask forgiveness for our sins?

Can I Be Acting on Godly Wisdom if My Choice Is Giving Me Deep Pain?

Questions about whether you can be acting on godly wisdom if your choice is giving you deep pain, how a combat vet who has difficulty going to church due to PTSD can find peace with who he is, and whether a Christian can be a public defender and represent criminals.

• Can I be acting on godly wisdom if my choice is giving me deep pain?
• I am a combat vet with PTSD who has difficulty connecting with people and doesn’t do well in crowds, which makes it difficult to go to church and have friends and fellowship and leads me to question my faith. How can I find peace with who I am?
• Can a Christian be a public defender and represent people charged with a crime?